The Wicked
by SalvatorEh
Summary: They say that a tiger can't change his stripes. Damon Salvatore never intended to, but fate has other plans. One-Shot from his POV as Elena asks him to modify Jeremy's memory. TV show-based. Slight D/E.


**Hello, fellow TVD lovers! Just a quick AN here. First off, I've read all the books but I decided to set this in the TV Show's world (Mystic Falls and not Fell's Church). So Elena isn't quite the bitch as she is in the books, and nowhere near as vain (although she doesn't really show up much here in this one-shot). I did this because the fandom is going to grow very quickly as more people watch the show and this way they don't need to read the books to understand some things. Second, this is the first Vampire Diaries fic I've ever written and being the crazyass that I am I jumped right into writing my favourite character. This one-shot has been rewritten about 10 times - no joke. I'm finally forcing myself to post this because otherwise it would never end up seeing the light of day. So please be easy on me when it comes to the reviews. I adore constructive criticism, it helps make me a better writer. Please R&R! (And that AN was much longer than I originally intended... ;))**

_What do you want him to know?_

The moment he stepped over the threshold, Damon let out a soft and resigned sigh. He questioned his motives again for the twentieth time and came to the same irritating conclusion he had before. It isn't right, and this isn't who he is. He didn't care about the sobbing brunette out on the porch, wrapped in a retch-worthy embrace from his equally pathetic little brother. Neither of them mattered and the boy sitting in hysterics upstairs certainly didn't qualify either. So what was he doing here? Wasting his time doing a _good_ deed for people he would rather drain dry of their lifeblood? But as much as he tried to push away the nagging answer, it forced itself to the front of his mind like a giant flashing neon light.

Elena.

The snivelling little girl on the porch had a hold over him, and Damon for the life of him – pun intended – couldn't understand why. She wasn't extraordinary. She wasn't truly exciting like other girls were. She wasn't Katherine.

And yet, that is what intrigued him the most.

Elena Gilbert was an ordinary, kind-hearted girl from a small town in the middle of absolutely nowhere. She was Katherine's identical twin, down to the deep chocolate brown eyes that lured him in, but there was no greed that filled her heart. No selfishness. She didn't want to choose between the brothers because she didn't have to; Stefan had already claimed his prize.

For now, at least.

One day she would be his, one day she would realize that the dark was more fascinating than the light. He would have his Queen one way or another, yet patience was a virtue that he wasn't gifted with. But now as he ascended the stairs to the second floor of the house, Damon forced the images from his mind and focused on Jeremy. He didn't realize that there was anyone more pathetic than Vickie Bennett in Mystic Falls, but this kid certainly was a winner. Damon had no trouble finding his room amongst the others; his erratic heartbeat lulled him in and he felt his sharp canines begin to throb deliciously.

_Not now._

Elena would _kill_ him.

Ha _ha_.

The door to Jeremy's bedroom was shut tight, but something so insignificant wouldn't deter him in any way. The cool doorknob turned easily under his firm grip and he entered the room quietly, not bothering to announce his glorious presence. He paused near the doorway and took in the sight before him. A lamp that had once sat on top of the bedside table was broken in a million pieces on the floor, the cord still plugged into the wall. A stack of books had been disturbed by a sweep of an arm which sent them flying across the room, leaving some pages crinkled and torn. There was a hole in the wall where, presumably, Jeremy had shoved his fist through in anger. And in the far corner, huddled in a ball and quietly weeping, was Elena's younger brother.

Damon _tched_ but it elicited no response other than an angry, "Go away, Elena."

Damon tilted his head slightly, sliding his hands in his pockets with a small devilish grin on his face.

"If I'm Elena then sex change operations these days must work wonders."

At that Jeremy's head snapped up, his bloodshot eyes piercing into Damon's black ones with anguished hate.

"Get out," he spat, not moving from his curled up position on the floor.

"Trust me, I'd rather be anywhere else."

"I said, get OUT. NOW!"

"That's not exactly a warm welcome..."

"GET THE HELL OUT!"

"Uncalled for," was all Damon replied before crossing the room in the blink of an eye. Before Jeremy's human responses could even register what had happened, Damon had his jaw firmly in his hand, angling his face to look up into his. He crouched effortlessly in front of the younger boy and invaded his personal space without hesitation. Staring down into his eyes, he sent out a surge of Power and felt the boy's emotionally weary mind give in easily.

"Vickie skipped town tonight and isn't coming back for you." Damon said aloud, his voice calm and smooth as he manipulated Jeremy's thoughts. "You're upset about it, but you'll get over it. She was just a temporary fling anyway. It's for the best."

Jeremy's face melted into one of emotionless understanding. The torment that had marred his features earlier was gone, replaced by calm acceptance. Damon's job was done.

So why did he continue to hold the boy's chin? Why couldn't he turn away?

He hated to acknowledge the fact that Elena could manipulate him without even trying. She hated him, despised him even, because he was everything Stefan wasn't. Dark, guiltless, arrogant, vain; he couldn't count his faults on just two hands. But now he had a nagging urge to do something for her, to... help her, which was a ridiculous thought itself. But try as he might, Damon couldn't brush it off.

His grip tightened as he fought with himself, resisting the urge to just sink his canines into the veins that called his name. After struggling internally for several minutes, he gave in. Hell, she might not even put two and two together for all he knew.

_Alleviate his suffering..._

"You're a good kid. You don't get high, you don't drink, and you don't rebel. You're a good brother and a good student."

Jeremy nodded imperceptibly, his eyes still glossy from the flow of Power that Damon was eliciting. Finally he let him go, not hesitating for a moment before crossing the room and opening the door. But before he left, he stuck his head in just for a moment.

"Oh, and clean up this mess. Go outside if you want to practice your ballet."

The door clicked shut behind him, and Damon took a moment to himself before descending the stairs. He adjusted his leather jacket and stretched out the tense muscles in his neck. _So this is what it felt like to do something nice without expecting anything in return._

He didn't like it.

The outside door was still open, a slight breeze blowing in from the cold night air. He could sense that Stefan and Elena were still sitting in the same place where he left them, and his feelings were confirmed when he stepped through the doorway and laid eyes on their forms.

"It's done." Was all he said.

Elena seemed to debate her next actions before finally getting to her feet and storming into the house. Damon never took his dark eyes off her until the wood door slammed in his face, obstructing his view.

There was a moment's pause where he met Stefan's gaze equally, and something communicated between the two brothers in the still air.

Turning his back on him, Damon walked off into the trees and embraced the darkness once again.


End file.
